I use it to cook and keep pans clean.
I use it to line my cookie sheets.
I use it to store food in the fridge sometimes.
I use it in crafts.... a lot!
H decided he looked like Logan (Wolverine) yesterday. I took pictures while he posed.
He was trying to look mean. He has AMAZING facial expressions.
See the resemblance?
I had an idea!
Logan needed his claws and aluminum foil to the rescue!
I made them so they are actually sharp - not sharp enough to cut anything, but enough that he's proud that they kinda hurt a little.
Behold, Aluminum Wolverine claws! I am thankful for the foil that made these and made my kid so über happy.
I am thankful to be of the female species.
Granted we have to deal with pesky periods and then going through menopause.
Some of us have to deal with shirts never fitting right because our chests are too big.
But really, how can I complain?
I dont have to have something dangling between my legs. I just simply can't imagine that.
I cant imagine people suddenly knowing when I was sexually aroused (thank goodness because they'd wonder why I'm not locked up).
I love bearing children. It's seriously a wonderful experience that I wish everyone could have.
I can't imagine being that hairy.
What prompted this being Thankful Thursday worthy?
My husband being sick.
Yes, he was very ill.
It was the flu.
I's not a pleasant thing to have.
Know how I know? He got it from me!
Days earlier there I was... Fighting with the massive headache, making sure when i left the house to get kids to school that I had a cup and a towel in case i puked while waiting in carpool. I had to fight through my crap and deal with life. I slept when I could and all but I trooped on. My mom did take the kids one day so I could rest. She came at 1:00 and took the 2 of them and then CT went to her house after school. Keep in mind, nobody but me was sick so it was also an effort to keep others healthy.
When hubby got sick, his throat bothered him a little.
I knew what was to come - yes, he came home from work early and spent the next day in bed all day.
Yes this is fine but he barely moved at all all-day long.
Just seeing him reconfirmed my previous thought that women are stronger then men.
Oh, you want another example?
Tom got snipped - we're done with kids.
He was in bed for days and it really affected him (meaning it wasn't a painless quick heal sort of thing).
I can honestly say, I felt no sympathy!
After baby #1, I was up and functioning like right away - nurses and doctors were amazed.
After baby #2, I had to pack up & move a house. We packed up a house and left from NY to NC when he was 8 days old. Who did just about all the packing? me!
After baby #3, I was back to myself the quickest although tired.
When he got snipped it was like, "man up. i had 3 kids. deal."
So yeah, we're stronger mentally. We're stronger in a pain sense.... We're women and I'm proud and thankful to be one!
I guess i need a FEW words. Today is Tacky Day. Apparently, I am not that good at it. I thought I was good with a non-matcing tie and cowboy short. Well, his friends wore shorts over their pants, 2 different shoes, and they were so clever. I fee l kind of dud-like but Hunter was still proud of his look.
Please note: We've been here almost 5 years in NC. For 2 years my kids were on Medicaid. I got WIC for myself and for the kids. While we now have health insurance and don't qualify for WIC (kids too old or too much money), I didnt hesitate to apply for the free/reduced lunch at school. We qualified so CT gets reduced lunch. Just so y'all know that this isn't coming from someone who "has it all" - we really do struggle.
I needed to add this (and probably more throughout the day).
My husband works his tail off. He works so we can keep our house. The house WE chose to live in for the school. We could have gotten a house for $100K+ less but school was important. So we fight for this house to be with this school. Each day is a struggle to keep this house, but it's one we make for our children. We want the best education.
If school B isnt good, why not fix school B?
I got some tweets about how I dont see the other side and how "you honestly think it's good for your white/black child to go to say an all white/black school? that doesn't equate to real world make up and I want the most well rounded child I can get."
How on earth does going to a more diverse "colored" school make you more well-rounded? I wen to a "white" school. Can I not relate to other people? My husband was the only white kid in his graduating class. Is he at a disadvantage?
Real World? Really? They dont balance things out everywhere. "Sorry, ma'am. I can't let you buy that coat. 7 white people bought it and it's time for black person to buy it!" "Sorry, you cant come into this movie theater, we have a limit on how many of each race are in here." There is a theater for you 45 minutes away and you pass 10 others before getting there but that's your only bet".
GET REAL! Seriously! Life is not fair. I am not saying keep someone down per say but you cant bring everyone else down just because someone else can't get up.
"the greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about" - EXACTLY! I am not ignorant on the subject - Just because I disagree doesn't mean I am blind. Who said I know nothing about being poor? My family always struggled. I was told no to most things growing up. We had 1 car for most years. I had to have 2 parents work.
I know it's "Wordless Wednesday" but I woke up this morning kinda mad.
WRAL's tweeted: "Comedian mocks Wake schools' assignment controversy http://bit.ly/egbwoN"
I was like, "ohhhh, I'll click that," and I did.
A small article comes up and the link to this video.
Being in the middle of this crap hre is my thoughts.
I am from the suburbs of NYC. We came from large classes but always local schools. You didn't drive past another school to go to it unless it wa sa private school. You went close by. That being said, you paid more taxes in better neighborhoods to go to better schools. We lived in the middle. Not a rich neighborhood, not a poor one, either. East Meadow, NY was typical NY-middle class. We had good schools - not "the best" but I am not sure how much better they could have gotten. We lived really close to not so great schools. They neighborhoods were poor and yes, most of the population was minority. Who would want to work in those schools? NY came up with a solution. They gave incentive. A school that was deemed a high-risk school, had teacher incentives - You give them 5 years of service, they "pay-off" your higher education debt (do note: in NYS you need a master's degree to get tenured, so we required more education).
We live barely in Raleigh, NC in Wake County. We moved where we did because of the schools. Here there are county schools which to me was weird as-is. We moved to our specific area because the year before we moved, it was a school of excellence. It was one of the top schools in the county and one of the top in the state. The school is even named for the community it sits in the middle of.
Wake county is diverse. There are rich areas and poor areas - just like anywhere else. Down here, they see poor areas as black & white - literally. I think the south is so wrapped up in trying to "fix" the past that they are blinding themselves. In order to try and not have "black schools" and "white schools", Wake county adopted this asinine policy. On paper it seems OK but I dont think people thought it through enough.
Let's take Bobby. Bobby happens to be a black child. He lives in an okay area but on the poorer side. He qualifies for reduced/free lunch. Wake decides he will go to Wakefield Elementary because their reduced/free lunch population is under 20% (one of the lowest in the county). Bobby now gets bused 45 minutes to school snad 45 from school to go to this "better" school. Herein lies what I see as HUGE flaws.
(1) How is sitting on a bus for over an hour and a half a day productive for Bobby? He could be doing a sport after school. he could be in club or having a play date. he could have extra sleep in the morning but NO... he has to pass 15 other schools before getting to Wakefield. If he makes friends at school how can they have play dates? They dont live anywhere near each other! How is THAT fair?
(2) Parent, what? I think the school was good because of parent-involvement. Now you take poor Bobby. His parent's both work and they work opposite the school. They can't help even if they wanted to. So now we have less parent-involvement in the school.
(3)What about us? What about the people who paid more money to live in a good area solely because of the schools and now THEIR kids are being bussed AWAY from the the local school. I have so many friends who are paying for private school or trying one of the charter schools and the like because their "base" school is soooo far away. No wonder private schools are popping up all over the damn place in wake County!
(4) We're in the same district! OK, I dont get. I'll admit I do not get it. I do not get why 2 schools in the same district are not equal. All the teacher's require the same education. All the school budgets should be the same. All, ALL should be the same in the same district. Wake County is a district. If school A is great but B isn't - WHY? Why is it that way? I think you have to look BEYOND the schools at that point. That's where HOW you are brought up and the focus on education are what makes the school. The area I live in, I can honestly say the parents care about the kids eduction. They work with the kids after school on homework. They are there on the front-line cheering them on and helping with activities in school. These kids have that extra value placed on schooling from birth. Then you have Bobby, again. Both parents work their butts off to stay afloat. They may not be as educated themselves but they dont have time to spend helping Bobby as much as he needs, maybe. Why dont they address THIS issue? Moving Bobby to a good school helps him IN school but as parents, we are our kids best advocate and we have a job to help them. I work with my child at home (as do most local parents). This is what is making them succeed. Why not HELP Bobby and his area/community instead? ADDRESS the actual issue!
Ok, HOW should one address the issue? Assuming all things the same IN the school (teachers, money, programs), add to it. Take the money it costs to bus these kids all over the county and make afterschool programs with tutoring. Kids can stay around for an hour and have an educator help them one-on-one (or similar) with their homework, assist them in research projects, show them education is important. Instead of sitting on the bus for an hour, let Bobby do an hour of homework with someone who cares.
Wake County did in fact "dilute the issue" and they spread mediocracy across the county! All the good schools got pulled down. We dont have anymore schools of excellence or distinction. Now they all equally have teh same crappy grades. Instead of addressing the issues of the "crappy" schools and fixing them, we just took crap from A added it to B to make A look better but in the process it brought B down and now A & B suffer.
This has nothing to do with race what-so-ever! It has to do with community.
OK, I need to get my kids ready as I run carpool every morning. I drop my kid and niece off at elementary school them bring another to preschool while spending time with the third.
I am a board member of a local mom's group. I am on the PTA at the elementary school and help out when needed. If they need anything in class, they know they can ask me, I just live around the corner.
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Instead of adding to this article, I am adding addendum and linking them here: Addendum 1 Addendum 2
I grew up on Long Island (near NYC). I remember Regis back in the day. I remember the LOCAL show he was on - that it was only the Tri-State area that saw Regis and his co-hosts. Kathie Lee surely did work the best and after a few years, the show went national and is pretty much the show you see today. When Kathie Lee left in 2000, Kelly seemed like an odd paring but they 2 worked so incredibly (and oddly) well.
This morning, at the start of the show during their normal bantering, Regis told the viewers that at the end of the summer (no date announced), he'd be stepping down from the show. He deserves it. Him and Joy can just relax and enjoy life - well, amidst the other "gigs" he picks up.
Granted I dont get to watch adult programming, especially morning stuff, these days, but Regis will be greatly missed!
I didn't post yesterday. Manic Monday got the best of me... mainly because I am still nursing my cold (which as an asthmatic goes right into my chest every stinkin' time) and because thanks to MLK, kids were off from school.
Yesterday we got out of the house for the 1st time in awhile! We went to Raleigh's Blue Jay Point Park. It's such a lovely place. It was kinda cold but kids don't care! We have a nice MOW turn-out and the kids had fun. We took a hike on the white trail and the kids were so proud when they made it back to the playground!
Came home at the same time as the hubster. He came home early from work... guess who is sick now? So far just a cold. I bought him zinc tablets to take but he's a man and yeah....
I didnt post 2 Mondays ago. It was TOO manic... so manic, I got the flu and was beyond sick. I found myself in front of my fireplace, with 3 shirts on, jeans, 2 pairs of socks and wrapped in a huge fleece blanket that was folded so it was 4x as thick. I was still cold! Sometimes, life gets TOO crazy here.
OK, you got the flu. Now what? How can you prevent it running rampant in your house?
(1) Tamiflu - call your doctor or pediatrician. Tamiflu is an anti-viral and it not only will help the person who is sick by lessening the flue effects and duration but it will help healthy people stave off that flu!
(2) Drink lots of water & Gatorade.
(3) Sleep as much as possible. Your body can't heal without sleep and you want to get better ASAP so sleep, sleep, and sleep some more!
(4) Steamy showers just feel so darn good.
(5) avoid dairy as it makes you more mucousy.
There are my tops from this past week of sickness :)
Top things to PREVENT the Flu or spread of the flu.
(1) Get the Flu shot! I Was never big on them but I got the flu for the 1st time and WOW! yeah, I'll be getting those from now on. It takes upwards of 2 weeks to work so get it as soon as ya can! It doesn't mean you wont get the flu, but if you do, it'll be way less of a horrible thing.
(2) Tamiflu! If someone in your house gets the flu and you haven't had the shot, take Tamiflu ASAP! It's prescription but it'll help prevent and lessen the effects of the flu.
(3) Take those vitamins! Keep your immune system happy and healthy. A simple multi-vitamin everyday. Drink good juice (like fresh OJ). Have your days' food be all balanced. I really think this is what kept Hunter from being the only kid who didnt get sick (even with a cold).
(4) Sanitize! After the bathroom, after touching someone germy, after touching a tissue... I'd go as far as using sanitizer, letting it dry, then washing my hands in hot water with soap before touching food a well kid was going to eat.
(5) SPACE! Make sure you're not crammed into people and there is good ventilation. Keeping the temp on the cooler side will help hinder the growth and spread.
I might flashback at times just to a picture and point out how & why it's so dated. see this picture.....
FYI: this picture is from Halloween 1983. I was Princess Leia.
It looks innocent enough but here is why it's totally dated. Please note: I loved my room. I loved yellow. I was a huge Tomboy but still loved girly things. I wanted to be Holly Hobby or Princess Leia... i couldn't decide who would be cooler to be.
1. Who hangs a barbie-style doll up on a wall? And Seriously? Is that doll wearing a crocheted dress and matching sun hat? Dude! Look at the curls in her hair! That alone let's you know how dated that is.
2. The hair. OK, MY oldest is in 1st grade. I have another kid getting ready to enter Kindie in a few months. I can honestly say, I have not seen any girls older than 3 wear pigtails. I wore pigtails all the time. Frequently braided. Again, I loved it but you just do see that these days. Girls wear their hair down, or with barrettes in sweep-over sort of fashion, or use headbands or just a single ponytail (which is usually how I wear mine now). In Kindie & 1st grade, pig-tails were pretty much my staple. Oh how times have changed. You don't send a 6-year to school with pigtails anymore unless it's pajama day or something.
3. It's hard to see unless you view the original picture in original size. It's a pom pom creature. Remember those? They were pom poms with googly eyes, sometimes with antennae sometimes with a hat but always with these pleathery, foam feet that had adhesive in one side. This one had a NY Telephone (yes NY Telephone! That alone dates it) hard hat on. I haven't seen or thought about these things in years but they used to be everywhere as giveaways. here's a better look at one...
4. That is just a totally 70's/80's sweat suit right there. They just don't make them like that anymore. Now they have such style - back then they were to the point... Sweat material, all the same cut regardless of sex of age, same pattern on chest just varying in color.
5. Holly hobby! While she is making a comeback thanks to parents who are my age, that's an original Holly Hobby picture right there. Notice her more prairie-like appearance then versus now.
6. Dude.. it's a bear in overalls. Just look at that bear! I think it speaks volumes for it's age.
7. The headboard. It matched my dresser & desk & nightstand. All painted white. All had these flower decals. You'd soak the decals in water and then apply them to the paint and viola! I don't think they sell that stuff anymore... It seemed cool back then and my mom made all my stuff match nicely.
8. You don't see gingham much anymore for starters. Secondly, Do they even sell ruffly pillowcase covers? Those were on like every girls bed. All bed sets came with those covers.... I haven't seen them in a long time... then again, my kids are boys.
9. If you're not living in a log cabin, ya don't have "wood" walls these days. We didn't then either... It was wonderful wood paneling - makes it look like wood planks but it's really just panels that are put up and acts the way wallpaper does. I have even seen paneling sold anymore at least here in NC.... not that I'm looking. It used to be a big thing... Yeah, not so much these days.
I said I'd blog every weekday. This week there were no posts. I had good reason. I was stricken to the couch for days on end. I had my iPhone next to me and barely even touched it. I plan on doing today's post if kids cooperate. I bring the littlest one in at 10:20 to the pediatrician. I normally dont bing kids in just for a fever or a cough but he has both and it's a Friday. I seem to always screw myself by waiting and thinking the same way... "it's only a cough (or fever) so why go in?!" Only to have Saturday come and some kid is worse and now only options are after hours care or an ER.... so I was being proactive and bringing him in. He's not happy about it but I will have peace of mind. Then at 12:00 I pick up H and we'll see how the day goes. I will make it up - I promise!
When I was younger, around age 11, I liked the then-WWF-now-WWE wrestling. My dad used to bring me to Nassau Coliseum to see the shows (Nassau Coliseum was about 5 minutes for my house). He did great with seating. He'd get aisle seats right next to the entrance/exit tunnel so I was always SO close to the guys. It was a lot less showy back then compared to now. They guys would hang out near the tunnel entrances, waiting for their upcoming matches just watching what was going on out there in the ring. Usually they were themselves instead of being in character which was so cool to see.
As I said, my Dad hooked me up with good seats. I've had my head licked by a Bushwhacker. I noted how much better "Ravishing" Rick Rude looked not in character - dressed in street clothes with a cowboy hat, he looked good - and was soooo nice. I saw Rowdy Roddy Piper come out in an Islanders jersey with a hockey mask & chainsaw during a 19-man Bunkhouse Brawl, which he won since he scared the other participants away. I can still hear the sound of the chainsaw in the coliseum and smell the smell of it. What a great night! I've seen just about all the big guys and the little guys from 1989-1992. I went to every show they had there which was about 7 shows a year. I am proud to say that I've seen Hulk at his prime, got to see Andre the Giant up close, been so close to Koko B. Ware's parrot, been kinda scared of Jake Roberts' snake, and i just have so many memories. I was scrolling through a list of shows from the years I attended and memories came flooding back of the smells, the lights, the rawness of it.
Before I entered high school in 1992, I had left wrestling behind me. I kind of was a bit into other things more girly. I started re-watching it ever so slightly between then and 1997. Then, I met Tom who was an avid wrestling fan... not just the main stuff but indie stuff and japanese stuff and I liked him. So, some of his wrestling was entering back into my life. I was, and still am, a MASSIVE Mick Foley fan. Been to every book signing he had when we lived on long island. I was Mankind for Halloween one year. My kids still playt with my wrestling figure of him that I got over 10 years ago. While I couldn't watch all of Mick's stuff (not a fan of fighting gore), I appreciated it and he had a fan in me. I watched teh rest and cheered and bood for people but I wasn't hooked on anyone. Evenas a kid, I wans't sooooo into someone, until.....
Scotty 2 Hotty!
Yeah, he was awesome! He was so freaking good looking and I loved the persona he gave off! FOr Christmas '99 Tom got me a Too Cool jersey. I loved that thing.
In May 2000, I went back to Nassau Coliseum for a WWE event with Tom. We did the dinner-thing before hand and stood in line so I could get autographs from Too Cool. All I really wanted was to see Scotty. I was so nervous because there he was! Right in front of me! Yikes! I will admit I was also happy to see the Hardys. Of of them even loved my shirt. Tom knew his stuff and we had good seats. Crappy camera since it was 2000 and we used a disposable one but here are a few pictures to Flashback to.
W-O-R-M!
Too Cool!
Me at the show
Now, Tom, aka @MrWorkrate, follows a bunch of wrestlers on twitter. Well, he has reconnected me with @TheScotty2Hotty. Scott is just as cool as I thought he was. He's a hard-working loving father who actually interacts with his twitter followers.
The reason I am starting off with Safe Haven for Cats for my Thankful Thursday is sitting here driving my nuts in the best way possible.
Please meet our newest family member, Miss Kaylee River (her name is from 2 characters on Firefly - both whom she favors the personalities of - Kaylee is sweet and innocent but smart - River is smart, mysterious and a bit crazy - combined is our newest kitty).
I guess I should start at the beginning... sort of.
After moving down to NC in 2006, we missed not having cats. We had a new baby and all, and we always tossed around the idea. One day I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted a cat and I didn't care if my kids didn't like animals (not didn't like but didn't care if an animal was there or not). So we looked a little but nothing fit. I did an online application for Safe Haven for Cats. They were having an open house July 4th weekend of 2009 and we decided to go.
C walked in stating (loudly I might add) how he hated cats and he didnt want any. We looked around, told them about us, and they recommended a cat. Her name was Halo. She was an immediate hit and we all knew she was part of our family. C left Safe Haven saying (again loudly) "I love cats! I want to take more than one!" We transformed him into a cat person!! So July 5th is when Princess Zoë-Girl was added to our family. (coincidentally Zoë is also a character from Firefly).
taken December 2010
Then in August we were going to PetSmart to get some goodies for Zoë-Girl and there was a lady who was trying to get rid of kittens. She had captured, spayed and released 1 feral cats and was waiting on doing a 2nd, and these were 1 of the litters (hopefully the last) from the one she wants to spay. Anyway, she didnt want them to go to a "pound" so she was trying to find them good homes. Sweet story but we went in empty-handed. Tom mentioned how black cats are soooo much more likely to passed over for adoptions. Ok, he had me. We went and held that little black girl cat and that was it. She was ours all 8 weeks of her tiny self. We named her Sushi Roald (said like Sushi Roll but named after the wonderful author).
I was content with my 2 girls for awhile.... by end of summer 2010, I was starting to itch for #3. W were looking for a cat who would actually prefer Tom but that is never going to happen while I am at home with the cats all day. They like me and I like it t y. Anyway, we went to Safe Haven the day after Thanksgiving and looked and debated but nothing hit. We scoured the Safe Haven website waiting for a kitty. They were having another open house January 1st where adoption fees were reduced to the year ($20.11). They had a few kittens that were females that we were interested in. I asked to see one I was leaning towards and that was it. She was a part of the family! Tolerated all 3 kids, never hid, purred up a storm and she was ours! It took a few days but we came up with her name Kaylee River.
Other 2 cats are still adapting but it has been only a few days and Sushi & Kayle play and Zoë is being less crotchety and not hissing anymore. In a few more days she'll be cleaning Kaylee and we'll all be 1 big happy family.
All 3 cats eating 3 days after introduction
For anyone who does not know, Safe Haven is awesome! SAFE Haven For Cats is a no-kill shelter for cats in North Raleigh, NC. They are a community-based animal shelter. In addition to providing adoption services for cats and kittens in need of good homes, they also manage a foster program for animals requiring a little extra love and care. They further assist the community in providing feline spay and neuter services in connection with SAFE Care Feline Spay Neuter Clinic. They have 2 awesome places (1 for adoptions and 1 is the hospital part) and they do a lot. They save a lot of cats and they adopt out a lot of cats (and they are thorough with applications).
I am thankful for Safe Haven. They showed my son how wonderful cats are. I am thankful for Safe haven. They saved Zoë from a high-kill shelter in Franklinton and made her available to adopt for us (after she was a wet nurse and saved lots of other kittens). I am thankful for Safe Haven. They completed our family by giving us Kaylee River.
I am thankful to all the volunteers and donors who keep Safe Haven going. They are an amazing place with a very special place in all our hearts. they are truly worthy of my first Thankful Thursday blog post.
Today is my 1st Top Tuesday and today is also my 33rd birthday! So today's list will be:
Top 5 Birthday Smiles I've had:
In no particular order here are some things associated with my birthday that make me smile
(5) My mom's potato pancakes (aka latkes). I have never tried to make these. Why? My mom makes them perfect and that's what I ask for every year. I know i can make them just the same but it special for me and I look forward to them for my birthday dinner every year. I drool just thinking about them!
(4) For my 30th, we went to a Hibachi grill with the kids, my parents, my brother's family and a family friend (and her other half and kid)... The fact that they were all there for me was wonderful. I was 36 weeks preggers at the time with O. Before dinner, I went to Build-a-Bear and built my 30th birthday bear.
(3) My bears... I have a 30th bear as said in #4, a 21st bear, but it all started with my 18th birthday bear. He was from FAO Schwarz in NYC. We went into NY to eat at the Harley-Davidson cafe (they had the best Mac & Cheese) and we went to FAO. The bear is just a black bear with a maroon ribbon around his neck. he had a pendant that said FAO on it but I dont know what happened to that. Actually, the bear is in hiding now... but having milestone bears makes me smile as they sit on my dresser :)
(2) Getting Cookiepuss! In NY we saw Carvel commercials all the time. They had these cookiepuss cakes. They were on the large size and a little bit pricey. No one ever got them in our family... one year, I did! I remember them brining out that cake! I was in 2nd grade (so I turned 8) and I was so proud!
Me on my birthday with my brother, George.
Man this picture seems like so long ago.
I mean look at George...
Peroxided mullet, AC/DC Cut-off sweatshirt, & a skank-tash.
My CPK doll is Jenny Bethany. She was like new.
(1) Miss Jess sent me 3 cupcake ornaments... 2 of which are so non-Christmas they are going to be hanging in my kitchen all year long! The fact that she thought of me when we don't normally exchange presents is like over-the-top sweet and I am so happy to have them (I got them in the mail January 3rd!)
I was dreading today. Kids were off for at least 2 weeks and today was the 1st day back. 1st day back to getting up, getting cleaned-up and dressed, fed, and ready to leave the house by 8:30am. Luckily it all came together this morning. I didnt forget anyone's anything including lunch money, or pills or socks. We were even a few minutes early!
I dreaded today because I feared I was getting sick. I guess the way I tried to nurse myself by sleeping as much as possible and taking tons of vitamin C helped because I feel almost "normal". I felt fine and better than I have in a week (although still not "normal").
So we left the house, and started the carpool routine. Kids dropped off, O and I went to the mall to meet Ms. Danielle and the boys. We played in the playground and then took an unexpected ride in the train around the mall. The boys were thrilled. We then wet to lunch at the food court and i let O get McDonald's so he could get the Bakugan toy from the kids meal. He was elated. He tried to pee while we were at lunch but he couldn't.
After we picked up H, we came home and he said he had to pee, so I helped him with his pants and he went pee in the potty. We're almost completely done potty-training which is a wonderful thing. After more than 6-1/2 years of changing at least 1 children's diaper (and half the time there were 2 is diapers) everyday, this is nice. Saves money too which is desperately needed.
So I type this while O is napping in his bed.... I put on "The Neverending Story" on for H but he fell asleep... 2 kids asleep with the 3rd in school + all 3 kitties sleeping = not so manic Monday. Not too bad for the 1st Monday of the new year.
